


Among the roses

by funga_fu_fu, jeza_jezaro (funga_fu_fu)



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen, I Don't Even Know, more like aph ottoman empire, past aph bulgaria/aph byzantine empire, some beating?, some history?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 06:58:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10692078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funga_fu_fu/pseuds/funga_fu_fu, https://archiveofourown.org/users/funga_fu_fu/pseuds/jeza_jezaro
Summary: Bulgaria knew he should had shut his mouth. His life would have been so much easier if he could learn that simple action. But some times there was no way around it.





	Among the roses

**Author's Note:**

> Here are some historical notes you might need before going into it:
> 
> 1) Due to political reasons Bulgaria accepted Orthodox Christianity in 864 from the Byzantine Empire. The reason being that they agreed to grant us an independent church. Something that the Pope had refused to do. 
> 
> 2)The Ottoman Empire didn’t really attempt to convert the Bulgarians to Islam all that hard. In the Empire non-Muslims had to pay higher taxes. Tax was considered everything from regular taxes to having to pay to keep your head on your shoulders once you become of age to having your children taken away from you at a young age so they would become Ottoman soldiers or eunuchs in the palace.  
> 

"Are you not coming?”

Bulgaria couldn’t even be bothered looking at the man that had addressed him. He didn’t have to; he could feel the heavy gaze of the Ottoman Empire from across the garden. He had hidden here, hoping to find some coolness among the roses. The sun had already climbed high in the sky and drowned the world in sticky heat.

“No.” He replied simply.

There was a long pause as the Ottoman Empire waited expectantly for him to elaborate. He didn’t. There were no swears, no threats, no insults uttered from his lips.

“As you wish then.” Sadik shrugged. “Heresy is profitable.”

There was another moment of indecision that not even a gush of wind would break. Ognyan didn’t take the bait. He was more than willing to pay the price, but he would never submit. A few extra coins in the Ottoman Empire’s coffers meant little in comparison to what had already been done to him. To his people.

He heard the rustle of silk as Sadik turned to leave. Bulgaria had to bite his tongue not to quip anything in response. He couldn’t afford to let his mouth run so soon. Not after what had happened last time.

“Is it because of her?”

Ognyan’s eyes shot open and if looks could kill the Earth would have opened up and swallowed Sadik whole. An eternity roasting in the fiery pits of hell wasn’t going to be enough.

“What?” He bit out the word.

“The Byzantine Empire. I know you took her heretic faith. Is it because of her?” The Ottoman said very slowly as if he was speaking to a toddler.

In one fluid motion Bulgaria was sitting upright, eyes boring straight into his enemy. His nails dug into the dried up soil. He had to stay calm. He shouldn’t try to tear out Sadik’s tongue with his bare hands. Again. But it was so hard when he was vibrating with the desire to rip someone to pieces.

Sadik Adnan had no right to even think Eirene’s name.

“I simply don’t like you.” Ognyan ground out the insanely polite version of what he wanted to say. Dislike was such a laughably mild word to describe the hatred he felt from the bottom of his heart towards the man in front of him. It poured out of every fibre of his body and he would have suffocated if it didn’t come to him as naturally as air. That man that was treating his people like animals. That man that had enslaved him. That man that had taken everything away from him. That man that had killed Eirene.

“That’s too bad. Because I intend to keep you.” Sadik stated.

Bulgaria felt goose bumps rise on his skin. The very idea made him sick to the stomach. He would rather die than let that happen. If the history of the Byzantine Empire was anything to go by he might just.

He cursed under his breath.

“You can try.” He glowered louder.

“Try? You are mine, boy! Who’s going to help you? That puny god of yours? He couldn’t even help that cunt.”

“Don’t talk about her!” Bulgaria snarled. Hate and anger bubbled inside him.

“I take it you don’t want to know how she died then.” Sadik said, a grin splitting his face from ear to ear. “How she gave herself to me.”

“Never!” The word tore out of his throat before he could stop it. The Ottoman Empire was riling him. He knew that. But the knowledge did little to calm down his seething hate. Just the thought of that man anywhere near Eirene was enough to send him into a murderous haze.

“Oh, she did. So many times. That infidel bitch was the best who…”

Ognyan didn’t let Sadik finish. Red exploded in front of his eyes. He was straddling the Ottoman Empire in a heartbeat. A satisfying crack echoed through the garden as his fist landed. He couldn’t even register the pain that flared up his knuckles. He didn’t care. Instead he rammed his fist down with all his strength. Blood sprayed his face. A scream filled his ears. It reverberated down his spine, thrilling him to the bone. More. More. His anger and despair mixed with the crimson liquid.

Bulgaria gasped for air as he was slammed into the ground. Black spot danced in front of his eyes as a fist punched his skull in.

“Do you want me to kill you, kid?!” Sadik laughed. Another hit made his mouth fill with bile and dust.

Ognyan’s elbow landed squarely in the Ottoman Empire’s side and the man rolled away from him. They both jumped on their feet, backs arched, fists raised.

“I can destroy you just like her.” His enemy taunted. “She never once called out for you.”

Bulgaria launched himself. She would never call for him. Why would she? She was the Byzantine Empire. She probably went down with her head held up high and an arrogant smirk on her face.

His fist met empty air and he stumbled forward, losing his balance. A delicate slipper stepped on his neck, pressing down hard. Ognyan wheezed, desperately trying to breath. His nails dug in Sadik’s skin, but to no avail. He wasn’t strong enough.

The Ottoman Empire leaned forward to stare at his face. The movement caused the man’s hard heel to dig deeper in his windpipe and Bulgaria choked. “Did you really love her that much?”

Ognyan spit in Sadik’s face. A hard kick to the head made his brain rattle painfully against his skull. But air mercifully rushed into his lungs and he rolled to his side, gulping greedily. Tears welled up in his eyes. Love? If he had ever felt anything as selfless as love towards Eirene, the Ottoman Empire wouldn’t exist after the crime he had committed.

“You filthy mutt!” Bulgaria’s eyes went wide as another hard kick dug in his ribs. “I’ll teach you a fucking lesson!” Sadik threatened and after that Ognyan lost count of the blows he received. The rhythmical beat of pain seemed to be the only way to measure time. It pierced through his being and left his soul numb to everything, but his thoughts. They lashed on to him even more viciously than anything the Ottoman Empire could ever do to him.

Then it all stopped. For one sweet moment there was nothing, but the summer heat. Ognyan could barely catch a few words from the ezan, before pain blossomed in his back. A hand grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head off of the ground.

“What do you say, kid? Come and praise Allah who he has granted you another day to live?”

“Never.”

A deep sigh escaped the man behind him. “One day stubbornness will get you killed, boy.”

“Better two metres under than here with you.”

Sadik laughed at that and shoved his head in the dusty ground. Hard.

“You are lucky that I like you.” The Ottoman Empire proclaimed.

Silence fell undisturbed.

Bulgaria’s consciousness faded away with each departing step.


End file.
